Lawn mower



@HUNTER LAWN MOWER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. lO,` 1935 l Attomey G. HUNTER LAWNKMOWER June 30, 1936;

f 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Ja'n. lO

30, i936. l G. HUNTER 2,045,857

l LAWN MowER' FiledJan. 10, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Attorney I nventm' G. HUNTER LAWN MOWER lulrxe 30, 1936.

g4/5. 4. l l

Attomey Julle130, G, HUNTER l LAWN MowER Filed Jan. 10, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 30, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT voEEIcE t p p 2,045,857 LAWN MOWER Gus Hunter, Newport, N. C. Y Application January 10, 1935,y Serial No. 1,245 4 claims. (o1. 5s-249) This invention relates to a lawn mower, the general object of the invention being to provide means for adjusting the'various parts thereof to suit the condition of the `grass to be cut and the '5 condition ofl the ground over which the machine visgto be operated. Y

This invention also consistsin certain :other features of construction and `in the combination and arrangement of several parts, to be hereinl after fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in Ythe appended claims.

In -describingthe invention in detail,- reference will be had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views; and in which: Fig. 1 is a top planviewjof the device. w Fig. 2; is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig; 1.

'20 Fig.'4 is a section Von line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

' 25 of one of the wheels. f

Fig. 9 is a view looking into the dogu carrying member carried by each side'memberr of the frame of the device. f

Fig. l0 is a view of one of the members for supv30 porting the drum-carrying shaft, the shaft being shown in section. ,Fig.V 11 is afragmentary viewV of one of the vmembersfor swinging the drum-carrying shaft in the arc of a circle, the shaft being shown in sec- 35'tion. f Y

YIn* the drawings, the numeral I0 indicates the Vhorizontal frame of the device which has rounded ends and straight parallel side members, each IV-side member having a longitudinally extending 40 slot I I therein. A shaft lI2 is journaled in the rear portions of the side members of the frame .and has its ends projecting beyond said side l-members and each end of the shaft has rotatably l mounted thereon a wheel I 3 provided with acup- 45" shaped member I4 on its inner face which overz laps a cylinder I5, the inner end of which is attached to a side member of the frame. A circular Vmember or Ydisk I6 is located in each cylinder I5 and'is fastened to the shaft by a pin IIa and 50 carries a pair of spring dogs I'I for engaging the rat'chetmember I9 attached to-the member I 4, these parts being so arranged that as the wheels are rotated by forward movement of the device, the`ratchet mechanis'mwill rotate the shaft but 55 a's thewheelsare rotated in an'opposite direction, they will run free on the shaft without rotating the same. A ratchet pulley is fastened to each end part of the shaft and is located in the slot II of side members.

A shaft 2l is journal-ed in the lower end of the i5', slotted members 22, each having a longitudinally extending slot 23 therein through which passes a bolt 24, these bolts entering the side members and a ratchet pulley 25 is fastened to each end of the shaft 2| and chains 26 pass over these pulleys l0 and over the pulleys 20 attached to the shaft I2 so that when the shaft I2 is rotating, the shaft 2| will also be rotating. As shown in Fig. 1, the chains are partly located in the slots IIl of the side members of the frame. The knife-carrying l5 drum 2l is carried by the shaft 2|, the blades of this drum cutting the grass in the usual manner when the drum isbeing rotated. l Y

The shaft 2I with `the drum 21 thereon i adapted to be adjusted vertically through means 2 0 of ,the hooks 28 passing through the upper ends of the slots 23 of the members 22, the shanks of these hooks passing through the inwardlyextending members 29 carried by the uprights 30 and having their upper ends threaded to receive 25 the nuts 3l so thatV by adjusting these nuts,-the hooks can be raised and lowered and thus the members 23 can be raised and lowered in order to adjust the knife-carrying drum relative to the ground. The lower ends of uprights 30 are at- 30 tached to the sides of frame Il! by screws 30a.

The drum-carrying shaft 2l can also be swung forwardly or rearwardly through means of the socketed members 32-having their rear ends piv- Votally connected to the shaft 2l and the sockets "35 of which receive the threaded parts of the screws 33 which pass through the eye members 34 attached to the shanks 35 rotatably arranged in the front portionsr of the side members of the frame and held inadjusted position by the set screws 33. Thescrews 33 are held against longitudinal ymovement by the collars 31 engaging the upper and lower faces of the members 34 and these screws 33 are held in adjusted position by the set screws 38. The upper end of each screw .45 is provided with a handle 39. Thus, it will be seen that by loosening the set screws 3G and the set screws 38 and then turning the screws 33, the members 32 will be moved longitudinally in one direction or the other and this movement will shift the shaft 2l forwardly or rearwardly as the members 22 will swing on the bolts 24, it of course being necessary to loosen the nuts 3| in order to permit this movement of the members 22.

The stationary blade 40 is carried by a hori- 55 zontal member 4l having trunnions 42 at its ends which are mounted in the depending members 43, each of which has a longitudinally extending slot 44 therein through which passes a screw 45, the screw passing into a side member of the frame and these members 43 can be raised and lowered to adjust the height of they stationary blade from the ground by means of the rockers 4S having their rounded lower ends contacting the upper edges of the side members of. the frame, each rocker having a part extending into the slot 44 of the member 43 and a screw 4l also extending into the slot and a second screw 48 passing through each rocker member into the slots and has a clamping nut 49 on its inner end for clamping the parts in adjusted position." Screw 41 limits the downward movement of the members43 and prevents cutter blade 4!! from dragging on the ground at its lowermost position.

'I'his stationary blade can also be swung forwardly and rearwardly by means of the socketed members 5@ pivotally connected to the members 43 and the bolts 5! threaded in the sockets of the members 5i! Aand passing through the eye members 52 carried by the shanks53 rotatably arranged in the rear ends ofthe side members and heldin adjusted position .by the setrscrews 54. The rear end of each bolt 5l is formed with a handle 55 and each of thesebolts 5I and the bolts`33 are locked in adjusted position by the nuts 55 as more clearly shown in Fig. 7. The bolts 5! are also prevented from having longitudinal movement with thereye members 5 2 by `the collars 5B.

`frame by` a bolt 58, the shank of which passes through the slot Il and each arm has a Vertically arranged bearing member 59 on its outer end for the trunnions 55 of a fork 6I which carries a small front wheel V62. pivot on the part 59 so that` these wheels 62 act somewhatlike caster wheels and they can be adjusted forwardly or rearwardly as desired.

Aghandle t3Y is pivoted between, the upstanding ears 54 at the rearof the frame, a pinV B5 limiting downward movement of the handle when the same is in operative position, it being seen that the handle can be folded or swung forwardly over the frame when not in use.

A pan 66 for catching the grass cut by the device is suspended from the rear part of the main frame` by the three hooks 61, the vpan being provided with al bail 53 for enabling it to be removed from the hooks and transported fro-m one place to another. Y

Thus, it willbe seen that I have provided a lawn mower which is very easy to operate and guide and one in which the blade-carrying drum and the stationary knife can be raised and lowered and moved forwardly and rearwardly to suit the condition of the grass being cut andthe ground over which the device is being operated.

-It will also be seen Vthat when the device is being moved forwardly,` the wheels 13 will rotate the shaft l2 which in turn rotates the bladecarrying shaft but when the device is moved rearwardly, the wheels I5 simply rotate on the shaft l2 without revolving the same and this arrangement also permits the devicey to be turned easily and on a sho-rt curve.

Ball bearings are provided for the wheel-carrying'shaft I2 where it passes through the side Thus, the fork wouldV members of the frame as shown generally at 69 and. ball bearings, as shown generally at 10, are provided on the drum-carrying shaft 2| where it passes through the members 22 and the members 32, these bearings being shown more particularly in Figs. 10 and 11 and I prefer to make the ends of the drum-carrying shaft 2l square in cross section to fit in square holes in the ratchet pulleys 25, any suitable means being used to hold the pulleys in place. u

It is thought from the foregoing ldescriptio-n that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

Itis to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In alawn mower, a horizontal frame including a pair of laterally spaced side members, a pair of vertically arranged longitudinally slottedA bars, one bar being arranged adjacent one side member and the other adjacent the other side member, bolts passing through the slots in the side bars and through `the side members of the frame for supporting the bars for vertical movement in the frame, a cutter reel shaft having its ends journaled in the lower ends of said bars a member swiveled in the lframe, a sectional member, one section having a threaded socket therein and the other having a threaded portion fitting in vthe socket, the outer`end of one section being connected with the shaft and the other sectionpassing through the swiveled member and rotating therein whereby turning movement of the lastmentioned section will rook the bars on the bolts for adjusting the cutter reel shaft forwardly or rearwardly. y

ing a pair of laterally spaced side members, a' pair of substantially vertically arranged longitudinally slottedbars, one bar being arranged adjacent one side member and the other adjacent the other side member, bolts passing through the slots in said bars and through the side members of the-'frame for supporting the bars for vertical movement in the frame, a cutter bar member supported from 'the lowerends of the bars, a member swiveled in the frame, a sectional member, one section" of which has a threaded socket therein andthe other havinga threaded' portion tting in the socket, the other end of one section being connected with the bars and the 'other section passing through the swiveled member and rotating therein whereby turning movement of the last-mentioned section will rock the bars on the bolts for adjusting the cutter-bar member forwardly or rearwardly.

3. In a lawn mower, a horizontal frame including a pair of laterally spaced side members a pair Vof the frame, a cutter reel shaft journaled in the lower ends of the first pair of bars, a cutter bar member supported from the lower ends of :the second pair of bars, a member swiveled in the front part of the frame, an elongated member composed of a pair of sections one section having a threaded socket therein and the other section having a threaded portion tting in the socket, one section passing for rotary movement through the sweveled member on the front of the frame and the other section being connected with the shaft, a second member swiveled in the rear part of the frame, a second elongated member composed of a pair of sections, one having a threaded socket therein and the other section having a threaded Vportion tting in the socket, one of the last-mentioned sections passing for rotary movement through the second swiveled member at the rear of the frame andthe other of the last-mentioned sections being connected to one of the second pairs of bars.

4. In a lawn mower of the class described. a horizontal frame including laterallyjspaced side members, a shaft journaled in the frame, wheels carried by the shaft, a pair of vertically arranged and laterally spaced bars having longitudinally extending slots therein, bolts passing through the slots into the side members of the frame,ra cutter reel shaft journaled in thelower ends of the bars for supporting a cutter reel, a second pair of vertically arranged and laterally spaced bars having longitudinally extending slots therein, bolts passing through the slots into the side members of the frame, a cutter bar member supported from the lower ends of the second pair of bars for coacting with the cutting knives in cutting grass, and means including a flexible endless member for connecting the wheel-carrying shaft with the cut'- ter reel shaft.

GUS HUNTER. 

